Local kids paid $10 to sit on the floor to watch Andy Waldeck solo at Starr Hill.

Small Town Workers rock Plan 9

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Friday and Saturday, July 18 and 19, marked another milestone for Charlottesville's local music scene, as non-profit radio station 91.9 WNRN released its second compilation of the best local rock, hip-hop, bluegrass, folk, goth, pop, and metal with two back-to-back parties at Starr Hill and Plan 9 on the Corner.

Like the two-disc set, the two parties were split into a Roots show and Rock show. The Roots party at Starr Hill featured local non-distorted artists such as Nickeltown, Andy Waldeck (formerly of Earth to Andy), Jan Smith, Mando Mafia, Suffletown, Faster Than Walking, Halfgrassed, Brady Ernheart, Kathryn Caine, and the soon-to-be-famous Heather Berry and the Berrypickers. It was a little unfortunate to see all these artists giving their best (for free) to a blasé crowd sitting far, far away from the stage.

The next night at Plan 9, the best rockers in town put on an amazing show that, sadly, most of Charlottesville missed. Indi-Rockers All of Fifteen blasted through the first 40 minutes to a crowd of 30 or 40 head nodding 20-somethings. MC was WNRN DJ J.L. Gato, who moved frantically back and forth talking on the phone pumping the show to the radio station and keeping the volunteers busy checking IDs and guarding the entrances.

As the crowd swelled to a 150 or so (in a room that could hold 500 easily) Small Town Workers, Beetnix, and Navel cranked the dials to 11 and rocked/rapped their hearts out to grateful audience. In a rare Trax flashback, Navel broke into an old Egypt song "Look Up" and brought up the former bass player, Andy Waldeck, to lead the vocals. It was big rock the way it used to be.

Closing out the show was the most successful goth band in Charlottesville, Bella Morte. Despite a few technical difficulties at the beginning of their set, the crowd of loyal fans danced and head-banged the rest of the night away. An after-show party featuring Stroud and guest DJs topped off the whole occasion and brought some latecomers who just wanted to dance.